Broncos Lose LT Ryan Clady For Season

An already shaky Denver Broncos offensive line just took another hit, and it may be one that can’t hide for all of 2015. Per reports, left tackle Ryan Clady is likely lost for the entire 2015 NFL season after suffering a torn ACL on Thursday.

It’s a significant loss for a Broncos offensive line that was already shaky at times in 2014 and has numerous question marks entering the new year. With an immobile and aging Peyton Manning still under center, this could be damaging news to Denver’s bid for another Super Bowl run.

The Broncos already had some of the better Super Bowl odds (15-2), but many experts had voiced concerns over a regressing Manning, a new coach and system, and a shaky o-line. One of those chief concerns is now an even more obvious weakness and the Broncos may scramble to make sure it’s not.

Rookie second round draft pick TY Sambrailo was already slated to man the right side of the line and now Manning’s trusted left tackle is gone. That could mean two serious downgrades at both tackle spots, which could mean some rough outings of Manning in terms of pass protection.

The kicker could be what it means for Denver’s offense, in general, as the lack of experience and continuity on the line could also negatively impact the team’s new zone-blocking scheme when it comes to the running game.

Chris Clark, who stepped up for Clady when he got hurt in 2013, is one candidate to step up on the left side, while the team also has Michael Schofield to work with and just picked up Ryan Harris off the street. Harris was passable on the right side of Kansas City’s o-line in 2014 and has experience in a Gary Kubiak scheme. He’ll at the very worst serve as solid depth for an offensive line that is now severely lacking it.

There’s no telling if the Ryan Clady injury will send the Broncos spiraling out of control, but there’s no doubt it’s not welcomed news. The silver lining, of course, is that it happened early in the summer and the Broncos should have plenty of time to regroup and formulate a decent o-line before week one.